Gold Hill, a town perched roughly 10 miles northwest of Boulder at 8,300 feet, has been ravaged by the Fourmile fire that has roared unpredictably through the foothills and canyons in the area for the last five days. The town website has posted a gallery of photos snapped by Kurtis Leverentz that capture the feeling of the rugged Rocky Mountain town and the devastation left in the wake of the fire. Samples after the jump.
A tanker plane above the town drops orange anti-fire chemicals in an attempt to beat back the flames.
Planes and helicopters continue to stream over Boulder, disappearing behind the mountains. The smell of fire hangs in the air even as the smog comes and goes. Schools have kept windows closed and students in for recess. High winds nearly forced residents of the western section of Boulder to evacuate Thursday night. Locals are listening into the police radio online and sending out updates over Twitter and Facebook. Restaurants here have been giving out free meals to firefighters and rescue workers. Online social networks are rallying support for the nine firefighters who have so far lost their homes to the blaze. You can text “FIRE” to 27722 to donate $10 directly to support those nine firefighters.
Top Twitter users on the Boulder Fire are listed here. Twitter has been by far the best most immediate source for updates and info and links on the fire.
[ All Images Kurtis Leverentz ]
